Fan’s Perspective on Minnesota Twins’ Opening Day Roster
The Minnesota Twins made final cuts on Thursday and Byung Ho Park is surprisingly among them.
Most of the teams made their final cuts yesterday in preparation for Opening Day next week. The Minnesota Twins settled upon their final roster, and there were a few surprises.
Some make business sense, like trying to keep a Rule 5 draft pick from going back to their original team. Or keeping a marginal player who is out of options. Some, like reassigning Park, make no sense – especially to fans.
Today, I’m writing strictly from a fan’s perspective. This is FanSided, after all. I had Twitter conversations with other Twins writers, some who work for traditional newspapers, some who work for websites.
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Most of the writers were apologists for the Twins’ front office. Explaining away Park’s amazing Spring Training as an exhibition that means nothing, that his previous MLB experience plays more into the decision to send him down.
But last year, while Park started off hot before cooling down significantly, could also be chalked up to a player who tried to play through a wrist injury – a body part important to his swing.
After surviving being exposed to waivers this off-season, Park was asked to be more patient at the plate, and to speed up his swing to help catch up to Major League fastballs.
So this Spring Training, Park came to camp noticeably stronger. He seemed hell-bent on making the team forget 2016. Park led all Twins’ hitters with more than 30 at bats in March in batting average (.353), home runs (6), runs (10), and RBI (13).
He did everything that was asked of him, and more. According to Twins’ beat writer, LaVelle Neal III from the Star Tribune:
Molitor, on sending Park out: "It was really hard. There's no denying he has done what we have asked him to in this camp."
— LaVelle E. Neal III (@LaVelleNeal) March 30, 2017
He also cut down on his strikeout rate. Last season, Park struck out in 34% of his at bats. Over the past four weeks, Park lowered that to a respectable 26% for power hitters. Compared to two other Twins’ rookies from last year, Park fared well this Spring.
Byron Buxton, by all accounts, had a good Spring. Yet, Buck struck out at a 22% clip and Miguel Sano struggled by striking out 41% of his at bats, and hitting just .200.
The player Park ultimately was being compared to was Robbie Grossman, whom manager Paul Molitor said today “won” the DH position.
Grossman, who finished last season among the league leaders in on-base percentage, struggled this preseason. hitting just .238, with an OBP of .313 – well below last year’s regular season average of .386.
But Grossman’s career OBP is .347 after last year’s impressive number is included. Is Grossman closer to this year’s Spring Training numbers, or last year’s season totals? He is also ranked near the bottom defensively among MLB outfielders.
Park, on the other hand, is highly regarded for his defense at first base, a position that Grossman and Max Kepler will now be called upon to play when Joe Mauer needs a break. Remember, this was the year that the Twins were going to give Mauer more time off at first base.
Again, this is the Opening Day lineup, and Byung Ho Park may quickly be called up after further moves are made, especially if Molitor decides not to carry the unusual number of 13 pitchers three weeks into the season.
Next: Minnesota Twins Season Preview
Notes: Other cuts: Twins optioned John Ryan Murphy, reassigned J.B. Schuck, and placed Ehire Adrianza and Ryan O’Rourke on the 10-day DL. Adalberto Mejia makes it as the fifth starter, while Tyler Duffey will assume the long-relief role in the bullpen. Chris Gimenez added to 40-man roster as backup catcher.